Minnesota Bluegrass Magazine April 2016 by Minnesota Bluegrass

April 2016

Sawtooth soars with new CD 2016 Festival Guide Special 24-page pull-out section

April 2016 Vol. 42 No. 3

Newsstand: $3 Subscription: $35

MBOTMA Hot Line (to subscribe and for other information) 612-285-9133 or 800-635-3037 info@minnesotabluegrass.org P.O. Box 16408, Mpls, MN 55416 www.minnesotabluegrass.org Twitter: @mnbluegrass Facebook: minnesotabluegrass

MBOTMA Board of Directors President: Peter Albrecht, henrypeteralbrecht@gmail.com Vice President: Jana Metge, 952-996-6490, singdancesavetheworld@gmail.com Treasurer: Greg Landkamer Secretary: Mary DuShane Board Members: Term expires 2016: Kenneth Bloch, Alan Jesperson, Philip Nusbaum Term expires 2017: Marilyn Bergum, Sarah Cagley, Ann Iijima, Quillan Roe Youth Representative: Seat vacant For meeting minutes and other Board business, go to: minnesotabluegrass.org/as_Board

MBOTMA Staff Executive Director: Arne Brogger, executivedirector@minnesotabluegrass.org Administrative Assistant: Bea Flaming, 612-285-9133

Minnesota Bluegrass Editor: Doug Lohman, editor@minnesotabluegrass.org Contributors: Marilyn Bergum, Katryn Conlin, Phil Nusbaum, Ellen Stanley Coming Up: Loretta Simonet, Pam Bowers, John Brandberg Y’All Come: Bill Lindroos Wordmark: Katryn Conlin Photography: Michelle Perrin, Doug Lohman, Luke Birtzer Cover image: Scott Ward Back: Doug Lohman Submit content or request advertising guidelines at: editor@minnesotabluegrass.org.

Minnesota Bluegrass is published monthly by The Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association™, a Minnesota nonprofit corporation, P.O. Box 16408, Mpls, MN 55416. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for the loss or return of unsolicited photos, recordings, or manuscripts. ©2016 Minnesota Bluegrass. All rights reserved. ISBN 0891-0537.

Thank you, MBOTMA members Membership as of December 1, 2015: 983

Patrons:

Bridgit & Peter Albrecht Tony & Barbie Andreason Tony & Ann Anthonisen Mary Arntson Lenny & Colleen Baltus Gary & Karen Bartig Ron & Kathy Blade Kenneth Bloch Ann & Barry Brooks Doug Chasar Paul Christianson Gary & Janet Cobus Laura Cooper Bob & Marilyn Dodd William Fancher Jerry Frank Darrell & Marilyn Fuhr Tom Furrer Jon & Sharon Garon Art Geffen Gary & Jae Germond David Glatt Dale & Diane E. Gruber Michael & Paula Hildebrandt David Johnson Howie & Maggie Jorgenson

Russell Lane Maxine Larson Richard Luckeroth Bob Lundeen Rudy & Jeanne Marti Rodger McBride Mary McSorley Douglas & Georgene Nesheim Katy Olson & Ron Roller Harold Pederson David & Betty Pfeiffer David Rogers Tom & Cathy Schaefer Thomas & Barbara Schommer Tom & Margaret Schuveiller Penelope Scialla David Tousley & Margaret Brandes Michael Valentiner Donna Velasco Rebecca Wagner & Dan Forsythe Tim Wankel Jane & Dobson West Jim Whitney John Wilcox

Sustaining:

Rod & Barb Anderson Paul Ashworth Fred Boyer Mark & Erdyne Briere Brenda Burger Bill & Ann Bushnell Susan Christensen-Wichmann Dan & Marilyn Cook Brian Cornell Bob & Vicki Dalager Hal Davis Doug Duncan Mary DuShane Matt Edwards Garry & Linda Elfstrand Jennifer Faulkner Mark & Kathleen Fisher Nathan Fjeld Jim Franczyk Warren Gumeson Timothy & Ginger Haaland Mary & Fred Harms James Helig Thomas Hollenhorst & Karin Kraemer David Holm Dick & Sue Hopperstad

Ann Iijima & Myles Bakke Chris Juettner Alan & Geriann Kagan Matthew Kaster Jim Lally Greg Landkamer & Jill Stefansen Lloyd & Beverly LaPlant James Lee Steve & Elaine LeVasseur Bill Lindroos & Rebecca Reifler Bill Merrill Susan & Joe Meyer James Natwick Dennis & Jan O’Brien Dominic Orrico Bob Ostlund Dan Robinson Leo & Ann Rosenstein Marty & Carol Schirber Wendy Schoen Howell Smith Roger Sweet Lynn & Carolyn Thorson R. & Elizabeth Vaughan David & Bonnie Warner Mark & Danelle Wolf

From the Executive Director th

A few thoughts on this, my 40 day as your new Executive Director. The Winter Bluegrass Weekend has just concluded with a total attendance of approximately 1540 people. For me, it was an eye-opening event and was my first exposure to the wonders that this organization offers. I was the recipient of open and genuine friendliness coming at the hands of a sea of names and faces, each offering encouragement and assistance. One of the many things that impressed me was the smoothness of the entire operation, and the fact that it is ENTIRELY volunteer based. MBOTMA is a group of likeminded individuals who collectively put their money where their mouth is, manifesting their love of the music by the sweat of their brow. Tireless volunteers manned every facet of this event and executed with grace and enthusiasm. As “The New Guy” I found this very heartening. MBOTMA stands as a symbol of what like-minded interest and cooperation can accomplish. Hopefully, this potent combination can continue to produce the results that membership has come to expect. One of the key elements to insure such continuation is a growth in membership spurred by a broadening of the demographic makeup of the organization. When I interviewed for the position of Executive Director I stated that I had no interest in presiding over decline. In order to turn the tide (and I hate clichés) we need to attract and retain a younger audience. That said, we also need to maintain and, hopefully, increase, current membership satisfaction. I don’t think that these two goals are mutually exclusive. Over coming months, I will share with you plans and actions designed to affect these important ends. With the advice and consent of the Board of Directors, with the resources available to us, and those which I intend to expand as well, I am filled with hope and confidence for our future as an organization. All of which is said with the full knowledge of, and appreciation for, the huge shoes I need fill - shoes left by the able, conscientious and talented outgoing holder of this office, Jed Malischke. Arne Brogger

Become a Member

The Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association is open to everyone. Our members include people who love to listen to music and people who love to make music. As a member, you’ll be invited to participate in bluegrass and old-time music events and celebrations. You’ll receive discounted prices on admission to events and merchandise, and you’ll receive a subscription to Minnesota Bluegrass magazine. Becoming a member of MBOTMA is easy and affordable. Your membership will not only nurture your own interests, but help to ensure that the bluegrass and old-time music tradition is sustained and grows in Minnesota. Individual $35

Includes Minnesota Bluegrass, events discounts for one person, and a free classified ad.

Family $50

Includes Minnesota Bluegrass, up to four discounted tickets per event, and a free classified ad. Includes Minnesota Bluegrass, advance booking information for MBOTMA events, a free classified ad, and listings in the MBOTMA member band directory in print and on our website.

Band $75

Sustaining Level $100

Patron Level $150

Includes Minnesota Bluegrass, first-class postage, events discounts, two free concert tickets, and a free classified ad. Includes Minnesota Bluegrass, first-class postage, events discounts, four free concert tickets, and a free classified ad.

Add $18 for First Class or foreign postage to individual, family or band membership. Go to minnesotabluegrass.org and select the Membership tab to join online and pay with PayPal. Or mail in your personal information and payment to: MBOTMA, P.O. Box 16408, Minneapolis, MN 55416 Call 800-635-3037 or 612-285-9133 for details or if you would like to join by phone. Funding for MBOTMA provided in part by a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and private donors

April 2016

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Dakota Dave Hull Coffee Break...

April 2016

playing locally, and what might be gained by seeking them out. Didn’t Jim and Jesse cover a Cuban tune by Desi Arnaz tune some years ago? The Irish music scene is rich and robust in our area. Why not include some of those folks in our efforts? The rest of the UK, too, for that matter. Remember, Del McCoury splendidly covered Richard Thompson’s song “1952 Vincent Black Lightning.” I could cite more examples, but I’m sure you get the idea. I was fortunate enough, a few years after that trip to Bean Blossom, to perform and record with Doc Watson, a life-changing experience. I hate to think about what I’d have missed had I listened to those folks who warned me that Doc wasn’t a bluegrass player.

Dakota Dave Hull is a Minneapolisbased roots guitarist who performs all over the world. His two new CDs, Heavenly Hope and This Earthly Life will be released in May.

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

One summer day more than four decades ago, I boarded an old school bus with a bunch of friends and neighbors from the Minneapolis music scene and headed down the road to the Bean Blossom Bluegrass Festival. I was young, very green, and it would be my introduction to this great music played live. Bill Monroe was there, of course, along with lots of other notables. After all these years, one little episode lingers in memory. As we camped, we got to know our neighbors, seasoned bluegrass festival-goers. When they spoke of the acts they looked forward to seeing, I mentioned Mac Wiseman, whose stuff I knew from the Newport Folk Festival albums, and Doc Watson (whom I had seen live). A woman frowned, then snapped, “Oh, we don’t like him because our friends told us he doesn’t play bluegrass.” Quite a lot has happened in the ensuing 40 years. I’m certainly not green anymore. I remember the controversies when people started using the electric bass in bluegrass, and I recall the uproar when a band showed up at the MBOTMA festival with a snare drum. Never mind that Lester Flatt occasionally used one in his band. Even as our music has seen many changes, it manages to retain no shortage of performers solidly on the traditional side. And those who experiment with it aren’t really doing anything that hasn’t been done before. Remember Monroe’s 1940s recordings? The ones with accordion player Wilene “Sally Ann” Forrester? You try things and you keep what sounds good to you and discard the rest. I’m not a big fan of the newer, more pop-oriented style of bluegrass, but I’m glad it exists because it has opened the door to traditional bluegrass and oldtime music for many folks who might not get there otherwise. And, of course, plenty of people do dig it, too. The old-time music scene is healthier than it’s been in years with an abundance of young bands and musicians. Good ones, too. And they’re experimenting.

They may not look at things exactly as we do, but they are our future. This absolutely must be encouraged. What I don’t understand is the whole exclusion thing. Surely the point of this organization is to support traditional and roots music, particularly bluegrass and old-time. I’d like to point out that what they call old-time in western Minnesota, North Dakota, rural Wisconsin, and other places isn’t the banjo and fiddle-based music that we members of this organization think about when the name comes up. Polkas, schottisches, waltzes are played on accordions, clarinets, trumpets, and (gasp!) drums. Old-time music. As the late Mike Seeger liked to say, “Old time is what the folk call folk music.” This organization is graying and shrinking. I watched it grow from nothing into a vital organization of more than 2000 members. There are considerably fewer than that now, and I’d hate to see it fall back to its humble beginnings. The only constant in the world is change. Our local demographics have changed dramatically over the last 40 years. I wonder if there are traditional conjunto bands

With One More Flight, the Sawtooth Brothers soar into new musical landscapes

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

By Katryn Conlin

I just can’t get the new Sawtooth Brothers album, One More Flight, out of my head. It’s partly my own fault, because I have the CD on auto-repeat in my car. But it’s mostly because Sawtooth has built its new collection of songs around hooks, distinctive riffs that all of the instruments (including the bass) play together. I caught up with fiddle player Luke Birtzer at the Winter Bluegrass Weekend in early March. “When we talk about ‘hook,’ we’re talking more about a pop song hook, the part that gets played over and over in the song, so it gets stuck in your head,” he explained. When Shane Birtzer (banjo) left the band a couple of years ago, the two sets of siblings (Jesse & Ethan Moravec and Clint & Luke Birtzer) decided not to seek a replacement. Instead, they changed the band’s name from Sawtooth Bluegrass Band to Sawtooth Brothers. With that transformation the band departed from the realm of conventional bluegrass and took off in search of new acoustic landscapes. “We had been playing traditional bluegrass for eight years together. We 6

grew up on it, we’re part of the bluegrass community, and we love it,” said Luke. “But there are some amazing bands playing traditional bluegrass, and it’s hard to stand out among them. For us, it’s not how were going to get out there.” It’s only natural that Sawtooth was

ready to delve into original songwriting – after all, they have contributed original songs to previous recordings. But on One More Flight every song is written by the band, and to some extent, every song comes from collaboration among the band members. Not surprisingly,

Luke & Clint Birtzer April 2016

the new album reflects the band’s musical interests, which break bluegrass boundaries. “We listen to a wide variety of music besides bluegrass. Jesse is into modern country, Clint likes classic rock, Ethan is into pop-punk from the 1990s and 2000s, and I listen to alt-pop-rock and Sinatra. Particularly when we started writing original songs, we found we had strayed from the idea of bluegrass; we wanted to just play music with the tools that we have and see what it is,” Luke stated. The “tools at hand” include two top-notch lead singers, Jesse Moravec and Clint Birtzer, killer harmony vocals contributed by all four band members, and phenomenal instrumental abilities developed through a lifetime of playing fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and bass together. The band also had the advantage of working with Dan Deurloo, a gold record award-winning producer. Almost two years ago, Sawtooth invited Deurloo to come to a few band practices. Once they decided to work with Dan, the band got going with a Kickstarter campaign that ultimately raised more than $12,000 to support the album. More than money, the band committed to working on the material for months, not the days or weeks they might have put into a previous recording. Deurloo doesn’t come from a “bluegrass rules” mentality. For example,

Clint Birtzer he noted that everyone in the band seemed to be playing something all of the time, so suggested that they try sparser arrangements, making each instrument that much more important as it is added in. This is immediately evident on the CD’s lead track, “Another Cliché.” After the opening hook, Clint sings solo with nothing but a bass line and a mandolin chop for accompaniment. The rhythm guitar doesn’t even kick in until they get to the chorus. Similarly, on “What’s Her Name,” the song begins with Clint’s guitar and

April 2016

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Jesse Moravec

Jesse’s voice for an entire verse and chorus before we even hear a mandolin. The fiddle arrives after the second chorus; and finally bass comes to light after the bridge. (At that point the bluegrass rules break down entirely with soaring multitracked symphonic fiddle parts and a thorough drenching in delay effects. It’s insanely beautiful.) In a typical bluegrass song arrangement, you would most likely hear an instrumental intro, the first verse, the chorus, a break where someone improvises something dazzling over the melody, lather, rinse, repeat. Not so much with Sawtooth’s arrangements. The band plays exceedingly complex material with technical precision, but the instruments serve the song, not the other way around. Luke claimed that, “One of the biggest things that Dan got us to do is to learn that it’s not about how many notes you can play. He got us to simplify our breaks, find the space between the notes. It was a little hard for us to play less, to play with restraint. But sometimes you can say more with fewer notes.” If flatpicking guitar champion Clint Birtzer had to hold back a few notes, the opposite was true for Ethan Moravec. “Ethan is an incredible bass player and these arrangements give him a chance to show that off. He knows how to play bluegrass bass and play it tastefully, but these songs give him a lot more

Ethan Moravec

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

opportunity to be creative,” according to Luke. Working with Dan Deurloo forced the band to challenge its own standards. They’ve always been very, very good. But on One More Flight both Jesse’s mandolin and Luke’s fiddle playing rise to a whole new level. Luke told me this didn’t come easy. “One of the most important things to hear if you are an artist is ‘Hey, this isn’t good. Do better.’ Most people have a hard time saying that to themselves. You might come up with something and you think it’s great. But if Dan didn’t like it, he wasn’t afraid to say so. He was kind of brutal. He really made us step up our game.” As a bluegrass band, Sawtooth has always had solid vocals, but again, with this album the band rises to a whole new level. “Dan was especially picky about vocals. He had us do vocal exercises and work at a regime to get warmed up. We had to go into the studio and sing the best we could sing, not just hit the right notes, but also really put the raw emotion into it.” Underneath the intense lead singing of Clint and Jesse, the combined voices become another force among the instruments. The harmonies are incredibly tight, particularly on “Don’t Go It Alone.” On this track, each of 8

the four vocal parts was sung multiple times, then magically blended into an impervious wall of harmony in the studio. The result is reminiscent of Crosby, Stills and Nash’s self-titled debut album, some of the greatest harmony singing ever recorded. From the bouncy bluegrass of “The River and You,” to the hard rocking “Blame It,” to the contemporary country sensibility of “Summer All the Time,” this album is packed wall-to-wall with songs that are catchy, well-crafted, thoughtprovoking, and thoroughly enjoyable. The band stands to take over where Cadillac Sky left off and venture into territory currently occupied by bands like the Punch Brothers. To riff on another cliché, I expect the sky’s the limit for Sawtooth Brothers and One More Flight.

LaPlant Instruments maker of fine mandolins & guitars

Buy - Trade Sell - Repair (stringed instruments)

31751 LaPlant Road Grand Rapids, MN 55744 April 2016

April is Volunteer Month!! by Marilyn Bergum

If you’ve spent five minutes with me, you’ve heard me say “Membership is the life blood of any organization and volunteers are the heart.” And that’s certainly true with the many wonderful volunteers who give of their time, energy and intelligence to keep Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Music functioning smoothly and efficiently. You use your muscles to load-in/loadout equipment at the festivals. You clean and scrub and get the venues organized. You’ve even mowed the camping areas when it hadn’t been done at the camping festivals. You MC stage productions. You sell memberships, event tickets, t-shirts and other products. You check arm bands, monitor the Gathering Place, serve as liaison with the vendors. You greet, meet and serve as the face of MBOMTA. Is there any wonder that I refer to volunteers as the “heart” of our organization. On behalf of the entire MBOTMA

board, our new Executive Director and the membership as a whole, I want to thank you for everything you do, everything that you give our organization and your dedication to promoting and serving MBOTMA. It should come as no surprise that I’m also going to ask you to wear one more hat. It’s pretty apparent that we’re losing volunteer help due to attrition, travel and just plain worn out. I’d like you to help me develop a Board level Volunteer Development Committee to help our ranks grow again. We (notice the WE here?) need to recruit, train volunteers, make job assignments and write job/task descriptions that can be followed by the people who follow us. You know that you can contact me at mwbgergum@gmail.com and 763-2341040. Sincere thanks to the hardest working group that I have the pleasure of working with and Happy Volunteer Month!

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

April 2016

Wegenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guitar Picks ÂŽ

6625 Penn Ave. S. Richfield, MN 55423 (612) 861-3308

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

www.homesteadpickinparlor.com folkmuse@aol.com and you can find us on Facebook

Making the world safe for discerning fans of Traditional Music since 1979

Michel Wegen is a recognized Dutch model maker using sculpting and airbrush art techniques to meet the needs of clients such as theme parks, ad agencies and museums. In his search for new markets, Michel some years ago took on the design of the lowly pick. The results have been phenomenal. Wegen Picks endanger no animal species, and they are a fraction of the price of the illegal picks that do. We have eight models for guitar and mandolin on hand in a variety of thicknesses. Try one out on your next visit.

April 2016

April 2016 Special Insert

Festivals from April to November & a handy calendar to keep them all straight

This Festival Guide features schedules for summer bluegrass and old-time music festivals going on throughout the region. The calendar centerfold is a handy summary. Search for Minnesota Bluegrass on issuu.com and on MinnesotaBluegrass.org. Enjoy! Photo: MBOTMA August Festival 2014 by Doug Lohman

Apr 15-17, ‘16 Radisson Hotel Duluth, MN (505 W Superior St)

Another MINNESOTA BLUEGRASS weekend of fun.  Saturday Headline Concerts with:

Holy Cow! Two Festivals In One!

ART STEVENSON & HIGHWATER THE WOODPICKS (Fri & Sat) THE BOOTLICKERS (Fri & Sat)

Minnesota Bluegrass is getting Dance Fever!

BORDER STONE, DEF LESTER, THE BISCUIT BOYS RIVERSIDE BOG STOMPERS, TIMBRE JUNCTION (sat)

      

Friday Night Live! open mic starts at 7PM Saturday Afternoon Stage Shows with MANY MORE TBA Sunday morning Gospel show with the Art Stevenson & Highwater NEW! Old-Time Barn Dance with Dance Caller Plus Workshops Draw Band Competition Lots of All-Day & Late-Night Jam Sessions!

Art Stevenson & Highwater

OMG! There are no more rooms available at the Radisson. We have set up another room block two blocks away at the HOLIDAY INN (200 W First St). Call them at 218-722-1202 and ask for the Cabin Fever room rate special. BULLYAN RV, STEWART TITLE, SAINT LUKE’S MEDICAL CENTER, REPUBLIC BANK, FROST RIVER TRADING CO, SIR BENEDICT’S TAVERN, PIKE LAKE DENTAL and CHRISTIAN EGGERT VIOLINS

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Sponsored in part by:

     

April 2016

The Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association presents…

THE MINNESOTA HOMEGROWN KICKOFF MUSIC FESTIVAL June 3-5, 2016 El Rancho Mañana Campground Richmond, MN 30 Min W of St Cloud MN, From I-94 take exit #153 (Avon), then S on County 9 and E on Mañana Rd

Roe Family Singers Bernie King & The Guilty Pleasures Bill & Kate Isles Band Broken Heartland String Band Blue Groove Ivory Bridge Mark Kreitzer Band Moonlight Duo Platte Valley Boys Mother Banjo Get Two Festivals In One! The Long Shots The Great Minnesota Uke Gathering The Gritpickers Workshops, Jams, Sing-Alongs Pickin’ Up Steam Same Weekend, Same Place Switched At Birth Same Ticket Middle Spunk Creek Boys Scrapegoat Skin & Bones Singleton Street Wild Goose Chase Cloggers Rosby Corner The Biscuit Boys

Call: 800-635-3037 or 612-285-9133 Visit: www.MinnesotaBluegrass.org This activity is made possible in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

April 2016

PLUS

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Main Stage Showtimes: & Ticket Prices: Friday - 6 PM to 11 PM, Saturday - 12 PM to 11 PM, Sunday - 11 AM to 4 PM. One Day Ticket (no camping): $20 advance, $15 MBOTMA member advance, gate is $20 Fri, $25 Sat, $10 Sun. Saturday & Sunday Ticket (w/Sat camping): $45 advance, $36 MBOTMA members in advance, $50 gate. Weekend Ticket (all 3 days w/Fri & Sat camping): $52 advance, $42 MBOTMA members in advance, $60 gate. Teens $5 any or all days. Children 12 & under free with paid adult. Bring lawn chairs of blankets. No display of alcohol allowed in concert area.

Workshops Jam With the Bands Ranch House Live The Gathering Place 19

of Pro 9.16 1.2

free

Saturday, June 11, 2016 noon - 8pm Featuring:

Siama’s Afrobilly Trio • The Wild Goose Chase Cloggers The Medicine Show Music Company • Brady Perl Jasper Lepak • Broken Heartland String Band Frank Hornstein & Friends

Historic and Unique

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Loring Corners

Produced By:

Citizens for a Loring Park Community, Friends of Loring Park, and MPRB/Loring Park

Sponsors:

Individuals, Beacon Interfaith, 19 Bar, Nicollet Diner, 4 Bells, Loring Corners, Inc., MuffinTop Coffee Shop, Dunn Brothers, 1st Residential, and several resident & business donations! For more info email us at loveloring@gmail.com

April 2016

9TH ANNUAL

NORTHWOODS

FESTIVAL

J U N E 1 0-1 1 • 2 0 1 6 RUSK COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS U.S. Highway 8 | Ladysmith, Wis.

Presented by The Greater Ladysmith Area Chamber of Commerce and Rusk County Tourism

F R I D A Y, J U N E 1 0 6 p.m. 7 p.m. 8 p.m. 9 p.m.

Porcupine Creek The Eelpout Stringers Art Stevenson & High Water Highview Bluegrass Band

S A T U R D A Y, J U N E 1 1 9–10 a.m. 10 a.m. 11 a.m. Noon 1 p.m. 2 p.m. 3 p.m. 4 p.m. 5–6 p.m. 6 p.m. 7 p.m. 8 p.m.

Open Mic Highview Bluegrass Band Art Stevenson & High Water The Eelpout Stringers Porcupine Creek Highview Bluegrass Band The WoodPicks High 48s Dinner Break Art Stevenson & High Water The WoodPicks High 48s

BRING LAWN C A HAIR & ENJO SOME G Y REAT MUSIC!

EMCEES Friday: Arian Knops | Saturday: Gary Hahn Sound by: LRS Studios (Shell Lake, WI) Shannon Fout ALSO ENJOY Hospitality Booth (with local coupons) Door Prizes • Business Receipt Drawing • Food Vendors Rusk County Historical Society “Celebrating Rusk County Agriculture”

June Dairy Breakfast • Saturday, June 11 ALL AT THE RUSK COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS!

INSTRUMENT WORKSHOPS

The Eelpout Stringers

High 48’s The WoodPicks

Highview Bluegrass Band

TICKET PRICES

Art Stevenson & High Water

Advance Sales: Friday & Saturday $20 Gate Prices: Friday ONLY $10 | Saturday ONLY $15 Ages 15 & under FREE with paid adult admission

CAMPING PRICES FRIDAY–SATURDAY ONLY

On-site “Rough” Camping $15/night (no water/electricity) Camping w/Electric $23/night (limited spots)

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

SATURDAY ONLY Noon Clawhammer Banjo with Kelly Andrewson from Highview Bluegrass Band 1 p.m. Fiddle with Bruce King from Highwater Band 2 p.m. “Jam with the Band” with The Eelpout Stringers 3 p.m. TBA

Porcupine Creek

This year’s festival is dedicated to

John & Lorene Mataczynski

Through their dedication and hard work, this festival became a reality in 2008 and continues to grow with their support and encouragement.

FAMILY FRIENDLY • NON-ALCOHOL EVENT • FESTIVAL IS HELD INDOORS AND CAN BE OPENED TO SOME OUTDOOR SPACE IF THE WEATHER IS GOOD. FOR MORE INFO | 715-532-7328 | www.NorthwoodsBluegrassFestival.com | manager@ladysmithchamber.com | www.ladysmithchamber.com | www.ruskcountywi.com Website design and hosting by Holden Computing Services (www.holdenpc.com) | Banner and brochure design by Canopy & Co. Custom Graphics LLC (www.CanopyAndCo.com)

April 2016

Minnesota Bluegrass April

8-10 River Falls Roots and Bluegrass Music Festival River Falls, WI 715-425-2533, riverfallsbluegrass.com

15-17 MBOTMA Cabin Fever Festival

Radisson Lakeview Hotel, Duluth, MN 800-635-3037, Minnesotabluegrass.org

St. Croix River Valley Bluegrass Fundraiser Heights Hall & Club, Oak Park Heights 612-518-4290, stevewforseth@gmail.com

28-30 North Platte Valley Country Bluegrass

Festival Lincoln County Fairgrounds, North Platte, NE 308-530-9249, npcountrybluegrassfestival.weebly.com

May

20-21 SEMBA Spring Bluegrass Festival

Cushonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Peak Campground, Houston, MN 507-864-8109, darrbarr1962@gmail.com

26-29 Kendalville, IN

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

No Indiana BG Assn, Noble County 4-H Fairgrounds, 260-710-3210, SF16@nibga.com

June

3-5

MBOTMA Homegrown Kickoff El Rancho Manana, Richmond, MN 800-635-3037, Minnesotabluegrass.org

Loring Park Acoustic Music Festival Loring Park, Minneapolis, MN 612-874-9002 Loveloring@gmail.com

10-11 Northwoods Bluegrass Festival

Rusk County Fairgrounds, Ladysmith, WI 715-532-7328, ladysmithchamber.com NorthwoodsBluegrassFestival.com

24-26 Blackhills Bluegrass Festival

ElkviewCampground, Sturgis, SD 605-348-1198, blackhillsbluegrass.com

24-26 Kakabeka Falls Bluegrass and Old Tyme Festival Kakabeka Falls, ON, Canada 1-888-688-9582, gemvan@tbaytel.net kakabekafallsbluegrassfestival.com

July

8-10 Viroqua Bluegrass & Gospel Music

Festival Vernon County Fairgrounds, Viroqua, WI 608-606-4105, viroquabluegrass.org

Photo by Doug Lohman 22

April 2016

Festival Calendar 2016 29-30 Milaca RecFest

Rec Park Band Shell, Milaca, MN milacarecfest.com

5-6 5-7

25-28 Lakes Bluegrass Festival

Cass County Fairgrouns, Pine River, MN 800-728-6926 Lakesbluegrassfestival@gmail.com LakesBluegrasFestival.com

August

September

Sugar Maple Traditional Music Festival Lake Farm County Park, Madison, WI Sugarmaplefest.org

1-4

Lake Itasca Family Bluegrass Festival Pioneer Farmers Grounds, Lake Itasca, MN 218-333-1421, info@familybluegrass.com

Kendalville, IN No Indiana BG Assn, Noble County 4-H Fairgrounds, 260-710-3210, SF16@nibga.com

Laughing Waters Bluegrass Festival Minnehaha Park, Minneapolis, MN 1-7pm. Free and open to the public. 612-727-2489 mscb.com/minnehaha.htm

11-14

Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Festival El Rancho Manana, Richmond, MN 800-635-3037, Minnesotabluegrass.org

12-13

MN State Old Time Fiddle Championship Mountain Iron, MN 218-290-9877, swilcox@vmps.org

18-21

SEMBA Bluegrass Festival Cushonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Peak Campground, Houston, MN 507-864-8109, darrbarr1962@gmail.com

9-11 Cameron Bluegrass Festival

Pioneer Village Museum, Cameron, WI Kathy Krug at (715) 458-0181

November

18-20 MBOTMA Havest Jam Experience

Marriott Minneapolis West Hotel 9960 Wayzata Blvd, St. Louis Park, MN 800-635-3037, MinnesotaBluegrass.org

April 2016

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Photo by Michelle Perrin

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Advance Single Show $14 Saturday (all day) $27 Weekend $37

Gate $15 $30 $40

bloviation

The Black Hills Bluegrass Festival is a project of the Black Hills Bluegrass Association, Inc., a 501(c)3 South Dakota not-for-prooit corporation. 24

April 2016

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

April 2016

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

13 th

the four lakes traditional music collective presents

ANNUAL

august 5&6, 2016 LAKE FARM COUNTY PARK, MADISON, WI

f e at u r e d a r t i s t s DEVIL IN A WOODPILE MUSIC CITY DOUGHBOYS BIG SADIE PIEDMONT BLUZ FINNDERS AND YOUNGBERG ART STEVENSON AND HIGH WATER ED POULLARD, JESSE LÉGE, CHARLIE TERR TRIO

s u g a r m a p l e f e s t. o r g MinnesotaBluegrass.org

TICKETS, DETAILS ONLINE OR AT WHOLE FOODS, SPRUCE TREE MUSIC, WILLY ST. CO-OP EAST & WEST, ORANGE TREE IMPORTS

Thank You Sponsors April 2016

Four Time IBMA Event Of The Year Nominee!

August 11-14, 2016 - El Rancho Mañana

Richmond MN, 30 Minutes W of St Cloud (I-94 Exit #153 at Avon, 9 mi S on County 9)

THE TRAVELING MCCOURYS – CLAY HESS BAND

THE HORSENECKS – CANOTE BROTHERS – MONROE CROSSING plus The Revelers, Hogslop Stringband, Bob & Lynn Dixon, Poor Benny, Pushing Chain, Sarah Mae & The Birkeland Boys, Hand Picked Bluegrass, Dick Kimmel & Co, Long Time Gone, King Wilkie’s Dream, Halvorson Family Band, No Man’s Stringband, More TBA Beautiful Main Stage  Shaded Seating Area  35 Hours of Concerts  Nightly Dances  Instrument Showcases Children’s Activities  Over 20 Workshops  Plenty of Campground Jam Sessions  30 Merchant & Food Booths Campground with Showers & Beach  Shuttle Transportation  A Welcome & Safe Environment  Kids Are Free!

Come for the Day – Camp for the Weekend – Call for Brochure Thu-Sun Camping Package (per person) Admission Thu thru Sun plus unimproved camping Thu, Fri, & Sat nights, $95 Gate, $85 Adv, $75 Member Adv

Single Day Tickets (per person) Admission one day, no camping, $20 Thu or Sun Gate, $30 Fri or Sat Gate, $25 Adv (any day) $20 Member Adv (any day) MinnesotaBluegrass.org

800-635-3037

www.MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Presented by the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association and made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

April 2016

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

April 2016

MOUNTAIN IRON

35th

Annual EC

HI P

E TIM

STATE OL OTA D ES

FID

Old Time Fiddle Championship

MIN N

35th Annual Minnesota State

H A M PI O N

August 13, 2016

Mountain Iron, MN Merritt Elementary School Six contest divisions with cash prizes totaling $2,525. Trophies awarded. All States and Canada are eligible to compete.

Friday, August 12, 2016 ––––––––––––––––––––––– 7:00 PM FREE Fiddler’s Jam Session Merritt Elementary School Commons, Mt. Iron, MN

Saturday, August 13, 2016 –––––––––––––––––––––– 10:30 AM 12:30 PM 1:00 PM 6:30 PM

Registration Registration Closes Fiddle Contest Eliminations Fiddle Contest Finals

$8 — Per Show $15 — Both Shows

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

For more information: Minnesota State Old Time Fiddle Championship P.O. Box 600 • Virginia, MN 55792 218-290-9877 swilcox@vmps.org www.MesabiSymphonyOrchestra.org/fiddlecontest Lodging available near the school. AmericInn 218-741-7839 • Holiday Inn Express 218-741-7411 Food will be available for purchase throughout the day. This activity is made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, thanks to appropriations from the Minnesota State Legislature’s general and arts and cultural heritage funds.

April 2016

August 25-28, 2016

ual n n A 11th

Pine River, MN Cass County Fairgrounds Featuring the Best in National & Regional Bluegrass Bands! Plus camping, jamming, workshops, food & more!

Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road

The Bluegrass Martins

NC • Fri. & Sat.

MO • Fri. & Sat.

Rebecca Frazier

Nashville, TN • Fri. & Sat.

Festival Schedule Gates Open Tues. at 3pm

Main Stage Thu. 5 - 11pm Fri. & Sat. 11am - 11pm Sun. 9am - 2pm

Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers

Workshops Fri. & Sat. 10am -5pm

Monroe Crossing

OH • Sat. & Sun.

MN • Thu. & Fri.

Also Playing: Po Ramblin’ Boys KY • Fri. & Sat.

The Bluegrass Express Dick Kimmel & Co. Shaffers Lost 40

And

More to Be Announced!

800-728-6926

2016 Camping • NEW! Over 30 additional campsites • Over 100 total electrical sites. • Call early to reserve your site!

Lakesbluegrassfestival@gmail.com

ss ’t Mi n o D Free

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Platte Valley Boys

St. Paul Park, MN • Sat. & Sun.

Ticket Information & Purchase Available Online

Wed. Night Old Time Dance

www.LakesBluegrassFestival.com April 2016

Cameron 11th Annual Bluegrass Festival September 9, 10, 11, 2016 Pioneer Village Museum 1866 121⁄2 Ave. (Cty. Hwy. W) Cameron, WI

Featuring: • Purdy River Band • River City Ramblers • Hand Picked Bluegrass • Porcupine Creek • Sara Mae and the Birkeland Boys • The Stringsmiths • High View • Midnight Coal Company • John and Rose Band • Gospel Notes • Kings Countrymen • More bands to be announced

Porcu pine

Creek

he e&t a M s h Sara land Boy e Birk The Strin gsm

iths

Music begins Friday night at 5pm Vendors, Jammin’, Workshops and more

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

For more information or directions contact Kathy Krug at (715) 458-0181 Food and refreshments available No alcohol allowed

Gate Fee: Fri. $10, Sat. $15, and Sun. $10; $30 for weekend pass Rough camping is an additional $10 per 32

ntr y ’s Cou g n i K

men

April 2016

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Live music is always better!! April 2016

2016 South Korea Tour with Dolce Canto Monday, April 4, 2016 Tuesday, April 5, 2016 Wednesday, April 6, 2016 Thursday, April 7, 2016 Saturday, April 23, 2016 Mon, Apr 25, 2016

11:30 am

Korean Tour w/Dolce Canto of Missoula, MT US Embassy 10 Namyoung-dong, Yongsan-gu

Seoul, South Korea

TBA

Korean Tour w/Dolce Canto of Missoula, MT

Ansan City, South Korea

TBA TBA 8:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m.

Korean Tour w/Dolce Canto of Missoula, MT & Suwon Civic Chorale Korean Tour w/Dolce Canto of Missoula, MT & The Ulsan Metropolitan Chorus Le Musique Room 4300 O’Day Avenue Private Party Charter House

Suwon, South Korea Ulsan City, South Korea St Michael, MN

763-400-8006

Rochester, MN

Danny Stewart’s Bluegrass Cruises for 2016 sold out, MinnesotaBluegrass.org

so now is the time to make your reservations for 2017! January 5-9, 2017 we’re sailing to Cozumel Mexico January 16-20, 2017 we’re off to the Bahamas Call Danny Stewart at 570-721-2760 to reserve your room and be sure to let him know Monroe Crossing sent you!

Go to www.MonroeCrossing.com for detailed information on all our concerts! Booking: Art Blackburn, 844-monroeX or 763-213-1349, art@monroecrossing.com 34

April 2016

MN Music Summit April 7-9, 2016 A St. Paul festival of artist workshops, music industry panels & eclectic music performances by Ellen Stanley

The Minnesota Music Coalition (MMC) presents it fifth annual MN Music Summit, taking place April 7-9, 2016 in St. Paul, MN, bringing together artists, fans and music industry professionals from across the Upper Midwest. Featuring a keynote address by chart-topping musician, producer and artist advocate David Lowery (Cracker, Camper Van Beethoven) and performances by Minnesota’s top acoustic, rock and pop acts, including guitar legend Dean Magraw and jam band The Big Wu. In addition look for workshops, films, industry panels, parties and a chance to meet with artists, producers, videographers and representatives from The Grammys. The MN Music Summit kicks off with a social hour at Summit Brewery on Thursday, April 7 from 6-8 pm. Musicians and fans will have the opportunity

to meet the keynote speaker and mingle with the region’s most important industry VIP’s over free food and beer, tapping into the MMC’s vast network of music supporters. On Friday, April 8 at 11 am the Summit continues at McNally Smith College of Music with David Lowery’s keynote address and afternoon workshops and mentoring sessions. The day is capped off with a reception hosted by the Chicago Chapter of The Grammy’s at Amsterdam Hall, followed by a 3-band show and a presentation of the MN Music Champion Award. The Summit winds up Saturday, April 9 with a a free legal clinic and music/film workshops at McNally Smith. There will also be the official screening of the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival’s best music videos of 2016,

followed by a Q&A with some of the featured directors and musicians and a party for artists and filmmakers to meet. Then there will be the debut screening of a documentary about jam band The Big Wu. The band will be present for the screening before heading down to the Amsterdam for a blowout performance with special guest Dean Magraw. General admission wristbands for the MN Music Summit are just $25 and include admission to most events, including the kickoff party, daytime events and the Friday night show. Premium conference badges are $40 and also include swag bags and admission to Saturday night film and show featuring The Big Wu. Discounted registration is open to MMC members. For more information on the MN Music Summit and the MMC’s various artist programs, please visit www.mnmusiccoalition.org. The MN Music Summit is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the St. Paul Cutlural STAR and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

April 2016

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

New location! 4151 Minnehaha Avenue, Minneapolis (612) 767-2800 podiumguitars@gmail.com

-Bourgeois -Breedlove -Carmel -Fairbanks -Goodall -HoďŹ&#x20AC;man -Huss&Dalton -Hill

-Kakos -Kennedy -Kopp -Kronbauer -Morris -Santa Cruz -Walden -Walker

Premium Guitars, AmpliďŹ ers, and Repair 36

April 2016

Bluegrass Saturday Morning By Phil Nusbaum

Jedfest

One last “Thanks, Jed,” now that Jedfest is over. It was a great party, just what we needed at the coldest time of winter. It helped us turn a corner, and now the Bluegrass Season is on the horizon. Fund Raising On-air fund-raising on KBEM-FM affects Bluegrass Saturday Morning and the Bluegrass Review on March 12 and 19, 2016. Listeners who have been through a lot of them might get blasé about them, but we KBEM staffers never do. It is because fund-raising is absolutely essential to operating. Fund-raising sets the tone for what the station is able to do, and also affects everybody’s mood. We think it is easier than ever to listen to our fund drives, as in the last few years we’ve taken steps to make them gentler than previously. But regardless of how we put things, the need is very real. So we are hoping that listeners stick with us all the way through Bluegrass Saturday Morning and the Bluegrass Review, and also participate in our fund-raising. Spring

In bluegrass and old-time songs, spring is the season that gets things moving. It’s the time the world blooms, and love is in the air. Reflecting the way the world was a hundred and more years ago, spring is also when seasonal workers return to their outdoor work. As we get closer to springtime, expect to hear songs that reflect the changes brought by spring. In April, we’re looking forward to running the remaining Ohio interviews that are in the can, notably the one with Rick Good of the old Hotmud Family. The Hotmud Family is no more, but Rick still plays professionally, and he recorded a fine musical interview with us.

April 2016

Bluegrass Review Supporters 1. Hoffman Guitars www.hoffmanguitars.com (hand crafted Hoffman guitars, authorized Martin repairs) 2. Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association w w w.minnesotabluegrass.org (membership organization supporting bluegrass experiences) 3. John Waddle Violins: www.waddleviolins.com (Dealer of international & domestic, new & old violins, bows, cases) The Bluegrass Review is made possible in part by a grant the National Endowment for the Arts. Weekly Playlists Bluegrass Review playlists are located at www. bluegrassreview.com. Just use the “playlists” link you’ll find at the top of the page. Then click on “archives.”

The Bluegrass Review in Minnesota Check www.bluegrassreview.com for a complete station list. Station

Day

Time

KLQP-FM, 92.1 Madison

Monday

8 PM

KMSU-FM, 89.7 Mankato; 91.3 Austin

Sunday

10 AM

KBEM-FM, 88.5 Minneapolis

Saturday

11 AM

KSRQ-FM, 90.1 Thief River Falls

Sunday

11 AM

KQAL-FM, 89.5 Winona

Saturday

9 AM

KDDG-FM, 105.5 Albany

Saturday

9 PM

WTIP-FM, 90.7 Grand Marais

Thursday

10 PM

KUMD-FM, 103.3 Duluth

Saturday

4 PM

KRWC-AM, 1360 Buffalo

Sunday

5 PM

KOJB-FM, 90.1 Cass Lake

Sunday

6 PM

KSCR-FM, 93.5 Benson

Sunday

6 AM

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Bluegrass Review and Bluegrass Saturday Morning Online By the way to catch any bluegrass review show, go to www.bluegrassreview.com. Click on the “programs” link at the top of the page and you w1ll then have access to many show playlists. Scroll to the bottom of any playlist and you’ll see a player as well as a web address where the show is posted. Also, both Bluegrass Saturday Morning and the Bluegrass Review are archived at the website of KBEM-FM, www.jazz88fm.com. At the Jazz88 website, you can also download show segments to listen to once the show is over on KBEM-FM, 12 noon on Saturday.

Business Support The Bluegrass Review is supported by a combination of grants and business supporters. To promote your business locally, statewide or nationally through the Bluegrass Review, contact Phil Nusbaum (651/245-1527; pnusbaum@bitstream.net). For promotion through Bluegrass Saturday Morning, your contact is Kevin Barnes (612/668-1735; kbar264@aol.com).

April 2016

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

MBOTMA Calendar of Events Concerts and events presented or supported by the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association

The following events are presented by the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association (MBOTMA) or supported in part by MBOTMA, and made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Friday-Sunday April 15-17 2016, Duluth MN: Cabin Fever Festival, New Location! Radisson Harborview Hotel

Music Festival, El Rancho Mañana Campground & Riding

Stable (27302B Ranch Rd 56368, 20 mi W of St Cloud, I-94 exit #153 at Avon, 9 mi S on Cty 9, L on Mañana Rd). Four-day outdoor music and camping festival with stage shows, dances, workshops, showcases, children’s shows, demonstrations, crafts, and good food in five stage areas. Five time IBMA Event of the Year nominee. 2016 performers will include The Clay Hess Band, Monroe Crossing, The Revelers, The Horsenecks, Canote Brothers, and many more TBA. Mainstage showtimes are 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM Thursday, 1:00 PM to 11:00 PM Friday, 1:00 PM to 11:00 PM Saturday, and 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM Sunday. $20 to $30 daily at gate or $85 for all four days in advance including camping ($79 before March 1). Teens are only $10 and kids are free. For information or tickets call 800-635-3037 or visit www.MinnesotaBluegrass.org. Presented by the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association

(505 W Superior St). A weekend long cabin fever reliever event including stage shows, draw bands, open stage, workshops, and jam sessions around the clock. Featuring Art Stevenson & Highwater, The Bootlickers, the Woodpicks, and many more TBA. Weekend tickets are $29 in advance ($26 for members). Day of show $15 Friday and $20 Saturday Teens half price and kids are free. For more information call 1-800-635-3037 or visit www.MinnesotaBluegrass.org. For lodging contact the Radisson Hotel at 218-727-8981 and ask for the special Cabin Fever Bluegrass Festival rate. Presented by theMinnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association (MBOTMA).

Friday through Sunday, June 3-5, 2016, Richmond MN: Minnesota Homegrown Kickoff Music Festival, El

Rancho Mañana Campground & Riding Stable (27302B Ranch Rd 56368, 20 mi W of St Cloud, I-94 exit #153 at Avon, 9 mi S on County 9, L on Mañana Rd). Three-day outdoor music and camping festival with twenty regional groups performing bluegrass, old-time stringband, and related forms of acoustic music. Showtimes are 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM Friday, 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM Saturday, and 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Sunday. Advance tickets are $52 for the weekend including camping ($42 for members) or $20 daily ($15 member). Gate prices are $60 for the weekend including camping and $20/Fri $25/Sat and $10/Sun. Teens are always only $5 and kids are free. For information and tickets call 800-635-3037 or visit www.MinnesotaBluegrass. org. Presented by the Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Association.

Help Wanted: T-shirt team

The MBOTMA T-shirt team is looking for new members. They are in extreme need of volunteers to take charge of the merchandise booth at the Winter Bluegrass Weekend and the Minnesota Homegrown Kickoff. Working at the t-shirt booth is a great way to meet people and support MBOTMA. If you’d like to coordinate the booth at a festival or co-run it with a teammate, please let us know. The team will gather in January to plan for the coming year. And thanks to the current committee members: MBTOMA August Festival booth coordinator Barb Schommer, volunteer recruiter Maggie Jorgenson, and Bea Flaming who oversees it all. Email Bea at bea@minnesotabluegrass.org or call 800-6353037 if you’d like more information or would like to volunteer.

Thursday through Sunday, August 11-14, 2016, Richmond MN: The Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time The

Annual

KAKABEKA FALLS BLUEGRASS & OLD TYME FESTIVAL (14 mi west of Thunder Bay, ON, Canada)

JUNE 24, 25, 26, 2016



Featuring



DICK KIMMEL & COMPANY, SLOUGH GRASS, GIBSON MARTIN & I, SHADES OF GREY, FLIPPER MinnesotaBluegrass.org

FLANNIGAN’S FLAT FOOTED FOUR plus many more local musicians… Held rain or shine in a rustic building. Camping & food concessions on site. Motels, shops, restaurants & provincial park within 1 mile. Visit our beautiful “Niagara of the North”, Old Fort William & “the Sleeping Giant”! For more info contact: Eddy Van Ramshorst

email: gemvan@tbaytel.net Toll free: 1-888-688-9582 www.kakabekafallsbluegrassfestival.weebly.com April 2016

Coming Up Venue abbreviations 318: The 318 Café, 318 Water Street, Excelsior, 952-401-7902, www.three-eighteen.com 331C: 331 Club, 331 13th Ave NE, Mpls, 612-331-1746, www.331.mn ACA: Acadia Cafe, 329 Cedar Ave, Mpls, 612-874-8702, www. acadiacafe.com AGr: Amazing Grace Bakery & Cafe, 394 S Lake Ave, Duluth, 218-723-0075, www.amazinggraceduluth.com APHC: “A Prairie Home Companion,” Minnesota Public Radio AST: Aster Cafe, 125 SE Main St, Mpls, 612-379-3138, www. astercafe.com BSC: 705 Southview Blvd., South St. Paul, MN 55075 BTC: Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua, Bayfield, WI, 888-244-8368, www.bigtop.org BoDD: BoDiddley’s Pub and Deli, 129 25th Ave S, St. Cloud, 320-252-9475 CED: Cedar Cultural Center, 415 Cedar Ave S, Mpls, 612-3382674, www.thecedar.org CJ: Celtic Junction, 836 Prior Ave, St Paul, 651-330-4685, www. thecelticjunction.com CrH: Creek House Concerts, www.creekhouseconcerts.com, 651-633-5353. MUST call and reserve for these events. DAK: Dakota Jazz Club, 1010 Mall, Mpls, 612-332-1010, www. dakotacooks.com DUL: 607 W Lake St, Mpls, 612-827-1726, www.dulonos.com DuG: Dunn Brothers on Grand, 1569 Grand Ave, St. Paul EAG: Eagles Club, 2507 E 25th St, Mpls, 612-729-4469, www. Mplseagles34.org

FITZ: Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E Exchange St, St Paul, 651-2901200, www.fitzgeraldtheater.publicradio.org GINK: Ginkgo Coffeehouse, 721 N Snelling Ave, St Paul, 651-645-2647, www.ginkgocoffee.com GKb: Grand Kabaret, 210 N Minnesota St, New Ulm, 507-3599222, www.thegrandnewulm.com HB: Harriet Brewing, 3036 Minnehaha Ave, Minneapolis HOB: The Loft at Hobgoblin Music, 920 State Hwy 19, Red Wing, 877-866-3936, www.stoneyend.com HOPK: Hopkins Center for the Arts, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins, 952-979-1111, www.hopkinsartscenter.com KIP: Kieran’s Irish Pub, 85 6th St N, Mpls, 612-339-4499, www. kierans.com OAK: Oak Center General Store, 67011 Hwy 63, Lake City, 507-753-2080, www.oakcentergeneralstore.com RIV: Riverview Café & Wine Bar, 3747 42nd Ave S, Mpls, 612-7294200, theriverview.com ROCK: Rockwoods, 9100 Quaday Ave NE, Elk River, 763-2224353, www.nograsslimit.com/RockwoodsCalendar.html SHL: Sheldon Theatre, 443 W 3rd St, Red Wing, 800-899-5759, www.sheldontheatre.org TAP: Tapestry Folkdance Center, 3748 Minnehaha Ave S, Mpls, 612-722-2914, www.tapestryfolkdance.org UMC: Underground Music Café, 1579 Hamline Ave N, Falcon Hts, 651-644-9959, undergroundmusiccafe.com ZUM: Crossings at Carnegie, 320 East Ave, Zumbrota, 507-7327616, www.crossingsatcarnegie.com

To post gigs and events to this calendar, request the link to our online submission form to editor@minnesotabluegrass.org

SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS April 18 - Saturday

Steep Canyon Rangers, Dakota 1010 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 7pm

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

March 25 - Friday

• Patty & The Buttons with The Hula Peppers, EAG, 8pm • Riverdance, State Theatre, 805 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 800-9822787, 8pm • Shawn Colvin, DAK, 7pm • Jack Klatt, GKb March 26 - Saturday

• Dick Kimmel & Co, GKb - Grand Kabaret, 7:30pm 40

April 15-17 - Fri-Sun

MBOTMA’s Cabin Fever Festival, Radisson Hotel, Duluth, MN

See Ad on Page 12 • The High 48s, HOB - The Loft @ Hobgoblin, 7:30pm • Alternate Route, BSC, 10am-2pm • Contra Dance with Light of the Moon, TAP, 7:30pm • Curtis & Loretta, Folk House Concert, 4500 Culver Rd, Golden Valley, https:// www.facebook.com/GVfolkhouse, 7:30pm • Dick Kimmel & Co, GKb • Riverdance, State Theatre, 805

April 17 - Sunday

Tony Rook CD Release Concert with Dick Kimmel & Co,

Aster Cafe, 125 SE Main St, Mpls, 612-379-3138 8pm Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 800-9822787, 2pm & 8pm • Shawn Colvin, DAK, 7pm • Dick Kimmel and Co, GKb • Claudia Schmidt with Dean Magraw, ZuM, 7:30pm March 27 - Sunday

• Alternate Route, BSC, 10am-2pm • Riverdance, State Theatre, 805 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 800-9822787, 1:30pm & 6:30pm April 2016

• Swing Brunch with Patty and the Buttons, AST, 11am-2pm March 28 - Monday

• Roe Family Singers, 331C, 8pm • Doug Otto and Friends, 331C, 10pm • New Riverside Ramblers, EAG, 7:30pm March 29 - Tuesday

• Jeff Austin Band, DAK, 7pm March 30 - Wednesday

• Aoife O’Donovan with Mark Erelli, CED, 7:30pm • Lenz & Frenz, 331C, 9:30pm • Jeff Dayton Duo, Excelsior Brewing Co, 421 3rd St. Excelsior, 6pm March 31 - Thursday

• Jugg Sluggers, RIV, 7pm April 1 - Friday

• Pillip Nusbaum and Sherry Minnick and others, CJ, 7:30pm • Dan Rumsey, DuG, 7:30pm April 2 - Saturday

• Alternate Route, BSC, 10:00am 12:30pm • APHC broadcast from The Town Hall with Väsen, Heather Masse, The Coffee Club Orchestra with Rob Fisher, New York City, 4:45pm • Bob Bovee, Colin Harris, Sue Hulsether, Lanesboro Barn Dance, Sons of Norway, Lanesboro, MN, 8pm • Greg Brown, CED, 8pm • Contra Dance with Pat O’Loughlin & Friends, TAP, 7:30pm April 3 - Sunday

• Gloryland Gospel Band, Summit Place Senior Home, 8505 Flying Cloud Dr Eden Prairie, 2:30pm • Swing Brunch with Patty and the Buttons, AST, 11am-2pm • Old Blind Dogs, ZuM, 7:30pm April 4 - Monday

• Dick Kimmel, New Ulm Community Center, Bluegrass Music Program, New Ulm, 1:30pm • Roe Family Singers, 331C, 8pm April 6 - Wednesday

April 7 - Thursday

• • • •

Eliza Gilkyson, BoDD, 7:30pm The Swamp Poppas, EAG, 8pm Mary Gauthier, Dak, 7pm Jugg Sluggers, RIV, 7pm

April 2016

• Vasen, CED, 8pm • Mary Cutrufello + Sarah Streitz, AST, 9pm • Dick Kimmel with Captain Gravitone & the String Theory Orchestra, Paradise Center for the Arts, Faribault, 7pm • River Falls Roots & Bluegrass Music Festival, Several venues, River Falls, WI, 715-425-2533, www. riverfallsbluegrass.com, • Call of the Loon Contra Dance Weekend, with Wild Asparagus, Contratopia, TAP • Bob Bovee, Rambling House, Columbus, OH, 9pm • Eliza Gilkyson, ZuM, 7:30pm • Switched At Birth, DUL, 8pm April 9 - Saturday

• Timbre Junction, The Acoustic Cafe, Eau Claire, WI, 7pm • Alternate Route, BSC, 10:00am 12:30pm • APHC broadcast from The Town Hall with Carter Brey, Heather Masse, New York City, , 4:45pm • Bob Bovee, House Concert, Kent, OH FFI:330-329-2176 or 330-571-5336, • Bob Franke, Roots Cellar Music Series, University Baptist Church, 1219 University Ave SE, Minneapolis, 612-331-1768, 7pm • Curtis & Loretta, House Concert, Pittsburg, amtrimble@earthlink.net, • Curtis & Loretta, WRCT Radio, Saturday Light Brigade, Pittsburg, http://slbradio.org, 10am-2pm • Eliza Gilkyson, CED, 8pm • Tret Fure, CrH, • The Maeflies, AST, 9pm • River Falls Roots & Bluegrass Music Festival, Several venues, River Falls, WI, 715-425-2533, www. riverfallsbluegrass.com, • Call of the Loon Contra Dance Weekend, with Wild Asparagus, Contratopia, TAP, • Middle Spunk Creek Boys, West Wind Supper Club, 709 N Main St, River Falls, 715-425-8100, 2pm • The Good Intentions, River Falls Roots and Bluegrass Festival, Various Venues, April 10 - Sunday

• Ani DiFranco with Chastity Brown, First Avenue Mainroom, Minneapolis, 8pm • Swing Brunch with Patty and the Buttons, AST, 11am-2pm

• River Falls Roots & Bluegrass Music Festival, Several venues, River Falls, WI, 715-425-2533, www. riverfallsbluegrass.com, • Call of the Loon Contra Dance Weekend, with Wild Asparagus, Contratopia, TAP • Tret Fure, ZuM, 7pm April 11 - Monday

• Bob Bovee, South Jersey Acroustic Roots Music Society, Arts Center, Medford, NJ, • Roe Family Singers, 331C, 88pm April 13 - Wednesday

• Bob Bovee, Folk Song Society of Greater Washington, Upper Marlboro, MD FFI: 301-324-7311, • Minnesota Songwriter Showcase, AST, 8pm • Dick Kimmel, Public Library, New Ulm, 12pm April 14 - Thursday

• Bill & Kate Isles, Cotterie Gallery - Old Home Place Concert Series, Buffalo, MO, 7pm • Chris Smither , CED, 7:30pm • Open Mic, New York Mills Cultural Center, 24 Main Ave, New York Mills, 218-385-3339, 7pm • South Side Aces, EAG, 8pm • Pat Donohue and Daddy Squeeze Quartet, Vieux Carre, 408 St Peter St, St Paul, 651-291-2715 • Mother Banjo, 331C, 10pm • Jugg Sluggers, RIV, 7pm • Pushing Chain, 318, 8pm April 15 – Friday

• MBOTMA’s Cabin Fever Festival, See Ad Page12-13 • Bob Bovee, House Concert, Pomfret, CT FFI: 860-377-1127 • Curtis & Loretta, Acoustic Artisans, Portland, ME, • Family Three, AST, 9pm • Charlie Roth, BoDD, 7:30pm • Dick Kimmel with Pamela Longtine, Becker County Historical Society Museum, Detroit Lakes, 7:30pm • KFAI Fundraiser, EAG, 7:30pm • Peter Ostroushko, ZuM, 7:30pm • Daisy Dillman Acoustic, 318, 8pm April 16 – Saturday

• MBOTMA’s Cabin Fever Festival, See Ad Page12-13 • The Gritpickers, River Falls Community Dance, 439 W. Maple St. River Falls WI 54022, 7pm • Alternate Route, BSC, 10:00am 12:30pm • APHC broadcast from The Town Hall 41

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

• Curtis & Loretta, Church of the Good Shepherd, Cleveland, OH, www. folknet.org, • Minnesota Songwriter Showcase, AST, 8pm • Jug Sluggers, DuG, 8pm

April 8 - Friday

• • • • • • • • • •

with Garrison Keillor, Chris Thile, John Fullbright, New York City, 4:45pm Dick Kimmel, Jamestown Arts Center, Jamestown, ND, 7pm Kip Peltoniemi, New York Mills Cultural Center, 24 Main Ave, New York Mills, 218-385-3339, 7:30pm The Bill & Kate Isles Band, Backus Auditorium, International Falls, MN, 7pm KFAI Fundraiser, EAG, 7:30pm Dan Newton & Pat Donohue, HOB, 7:30pm Contra Dance with Danebodium, TAP, 7:30pm Steep Canyon Rangers, DAK, 7pm David Francey, Gink, 8pm Machinery Hill, DUL, 8pm High 48’s, WideSpot Performing Arts Center, N2030 Spring St, Stockholm WI, 7pm

April 17 – Sunday

• MBOTMA’s Cabin Fever Festival, See Ad Page12-13 • The Bill & Kate Isles Band, Sarah Mae & The Birkeland Boys, Porcupine Creek, Encore! Performing Arts Center & Gallery, Cloquet, MN, 2pm • Swing Brunch with Patty and the Buttons, AST, 11am-2pm • Tony Rook CD Release Concert with Dick Kimmel & Co, AST, 8pm • Bovee, House Concert, Hamden, CT, 203-932-5711 X2908, 5pm • Sean Watkins, DAK, 7pm • The Wild Goose Chase Cloggers, The Landmark Center, 75 5th Street St Paul, MN 55102, 1pm April 18 - Monday

• Bela Fleck & Chick Corea, Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis, 7:30pm • Roe Family Singers, 331C, 8pm April 19 - Tuesday

• Bill Cagley, DuG, 7:30pm April 20 - Wednesday

• Minnesota Songwriter Showcase, AST, 8pm • Bob Bovee, House Concert, Rockland, ME, 207-593-8068, 7:30pm MinnesotaBluegrass.org

April 21 - Thursday

• Jugg Sluggers, RIV, 7pm • Rhythm Cousins Cajun Band, EAG, 7:30pm April 22 - Friday

• Bob Bovee, House Concert, Oxford, PA FFI: 267-207-1280 • Curtis & Loretta, Blue Boat Cafe Concerts, Naperville, IL 42

• Dennis Warner and the D’s, Paramount Theater, 913 W. St. Germain St., St. Cloud, 320-259-5463, 7:30pm • Dick Kimmel & Lori Jean, New Ulm Public Library, New Ulm • Iris Dement, CED, 8pm • Skip Jones & Frank Montano, Folk House Concert, 4500 Culver Rd, Golden Valley, https://www.facebook. com/GVfolkhouse, 7:30pm • Sudden Lovelys, AST, 9pm • The Young Novelists, BoDD, 7:30pm • Becky Schlegel, DUL, 8pm April 23 - Saturday

• No Man’s String Band, Broken Heartland String Band, HB - Harriet Brewing, 5pm • Timbre Junction, UMC - Underground Music Cafe [formerly Coffee Grounds], 7:00 pm • Alternate Route, BSC, 10:00am 12:30pm • APHC, broadcast from Bass Concert Hall with Max Baca and Los Texmaniacs, Austin, TX, 4:45pm • Curtis & Loretta, Paris-Belle House Concert, Williamsville, IL, parisbelleconcerts@outlook.com, • Joe Crookston, CrH • Peter Mayer, Roots Cellar Music Series, University Baptist Church, 1219 University Ave SE, Minneapolis, 612-331-1768, 7pm • The Bill & Kate Isles Band, West Denmark, Luck, WI, 7:30pm • Dick Kimmel with Captain Gravitone & the String Theory Orchestra, Arts Center of St Peter, St Peter, 7pm • Contra Dance with Northern Aire, TAP, 7:30pm • Bob Bovee, House Concert, Oxford, PA, 267-207-1280, 7:30pm • Wailing Loons, 331C, 10pm • Chris Silver & The Good Intentions, DUL, 8pm April 24 - Sunday

• Swing Brunch with Patty and the Buttons, AST, 11am-2pm April 25 - Monday

• New Riverside Ramblers, EAG, 7:30 • Roe Family Singers, 331C, 8pm April 27 - Wednesday

• Minnesota Songwriter Showcase, AST, 8pm • Lenz & Frenz, 331C, 9:30pm • Judy Collins, Dak, 7pm April 28 - Thursday

• The Rockin’ Pinecones, EAG, 7:30pm • The Lowest Pair with Adam Kiesling, CED, 7:30pm

• Emily West, Dak, 7pm • Jugg Sluggers, RIV, 7pm April 29 - Friday

• New Riverside Ramblers, Vieux Carré, Vieux Carré, 408 St. Peter St., St Paul, http://vieux-carre.com/, 9:00 pm • Marah in the Mainsail, AST, 9pm • Genna & Jesse, BoDD, 7:30pm • The May North, Acoustic Cafe for Midwest Music Festival, Various Venues, • Guitar Night, DAK, 7pm • Phil Nusbaum & Sherry Minnick, DUL, 8pm April 30 – Saturday

• Big Trees, DUL, 8pm • Alternate Route, BSC, 10:00am 12:30pm • APHC, broadcast from The Grand 1894 Opera House, Galveston, TX, 4:45pm • Community Contra Dance with Ken Steffenson, TAP, 7:30pm • Bob Bovee, The Root Note, La Crosse, WI, 8:30pm • Becky Schlegel, The Canadian Honker, 1203 2nd St SW Rochester, 7:30pm

ARMADILLO SOUND & DESIGN

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Complete production services, sound and lights.

You know Doug’s attention to detail in the live concert… Let him help you craft your next recording project.

612-306-3490 douglohman@aol.com

April 2016

607 W Lake St Minneapolis MN 612.827.1726

April

FRI 8 - Switched at Birth SAT 9 - The Swamp Kings FRI 15 - The Tommy Bentz Band SAT 16 - Machinery Hill FRI 22 - Becky Schlegel SAT 23 - Chris Silver & The Good Intentions FRI 29 - Phil Nusbaum & Sherry Minnick SAT 30 - Big Trees

May

www.dulonospizza.com April 2016

Attention All Bands If you want to sell your music, you need a good band. If you want to sell your band, you need good smiles!

MinnesotaBluegrass.org

Friday 13 - Jackson & The Roosters Saturday 14 - Brian Wicklund & The Barley Jacks Friday 20 - Detroit Don King Saturday21- Cousin Dad Friday 27 - Jon Garon & Clint Birtzer Saturday 28th - Ivory Bridge

Lloyd “Doc” Wallin, D.D.S. Cosmetic Dentistry Burnsville, MN 55337 952-892-5050 (Free Consultation for MBOTMA Members) 43

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2016 Winter Bluegrass Weekend - Photo by Doug Lohman